((Pressures)) - Casting Shadows

I do like noise a lot, but my favorite style of electronic music is synth pop hands down.

Maybe it was due to all the video games I played as a child and many of Eurythmics and Whitney Houston singles that flooded the radio in my mom's truck. Regardless, ((Pressures)) is some of the best synth pop / minimal wave (whatever) I almost never knew from New Orleans.

I remember going to Austin's last Chaos In Tejas with a new pair of doc martins. Long story short, my feet were fucked up by the time I reached the third venue for the third act I wanted to see (along with spontaneously vomitting on the side of a street. I was coerced into seeing this duo play at Austin's Mohawk (inside) and their set was one of my favorite sets of the weekend. Very dark, cold, and minimal.

I picked up this limited tape and have listened to it many times. I figured its time for a review.

The tape itself is professionally made with print on each side of the cream white shell along with a minimal insert.

The first track is "Casting Shadows" and is a perfect track to be introduced to the act. This track is very danceable and you can almost find yourself moving to the music. The vocals have a vocoder effect like what Kraftwerk does at times. This track sounds something straight out of The Never-ending Story. Very dreamy.

"Vanishing" ends side A with a very minimal track. Electronic snares beating to the electronic sounds and synths. There doesn't appear to be vocals whatsoever on this track, but the beat goes on and on with subtle changes to boot.

Side B starts with "Bizarre Times" and is the most involving track. The song starts with a specific synth progression and snare with some reverb on it. This track is a song to bop your head to in some fog at a night club. The vocals are much more audible and has much other effects going on in the sidelines.

The last track "Abnormal" is my favorite track and the last one on this tape. The percussion on this track is perfect. The song is very slow. Like droplets of water sliding of ice sickles falling into a puddle of water. Very catchy and to the point.

This tape is perfect to be introduced to the duo. I try to keep tabs on their live events, but haven't seen anything personally close to me to see them. I recommend this to anyone into dark electronic pop music.

For more items from this act and similar endeavors, check out http://diskoobscura.com.